Word: baudouin
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...still passionately admired his father, bitterly resented his fellow countrymen's treatment of him. Baudouin began to show a few signs of royal temper, as when he received an antiroyalist minister and left him standing during the audience, or when he snapped at a tutor who was repeating himself: "You said that three days ago." Although his entourage treated him more & more as a King, his father still seemed to regard him as a boy. At lunch, he would admonish Baudouin to take his elbows off the table. One of the rare visitors to Laeken described a day last...
Sneak Preview. One day last summer, the Prince Royal made his first public appearance, somewhat in the style of a Hollywood sneak preview. Without previous announcement, Baudouin sped in a car to the tomb of Belgium's unknown soldier, deposited a wreath. A dozen or so accidental bystanders were his only public. The consensus was that the princely starlet conducted himself well, but would need a lot more experience in the spotlight before he was a full-fledged royal star...
Since then, Baudouin has made 42 major public appearances. Belgium's ministers and statesmen have found him disciplined, earnest and intelligent. Even Socialist Paul-Henri Spaak, his father's implacable political enemy, likes Baudouin, is impressed by his intelligence. More romantic Belgians have seen in the boy's habit of walking with hands folded behind him, in his leanness and in his shyness a clear resemblance to his grandfather Albert...
...King, Baudouin will continue to do his chores, with his life even more carefully circumscribed: he will sign state documents, listen interestedly but noncommittally to politicians' special pleas, deliver speeches carefully edited by others. The Belgian constitution states that "no Royal Act is valid unless countersigned by a cabinet minister." Baudouin has shown no sign of wishing to break out of this constitutional hammer lock, or of wanting to grow bigger than a Premier...
...time, Baudouin will be expected to make a suitable marriage, as carefully edited as his speeches. No one has been picked as yet, but a Belgian princess, 18-year-old Elisabeth de Méerode, * has been favorably mentioned...